The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-09-23
MANKATO FREE PRESS
Supplement
THE FATAL OAVE-N.
Details of the Terrible Accident by Which
Two Men Were Buried Alive.
The Coroner's Inquest.

count of the sewer disaster, and to-day
we give further description of the fatal
cavern. 1t resulted in the death of two
men, John Malone and Ole Barlow.
John Malone was young man not much
above twenty years of age and came
from Sioux City with Messrs. Williams
and Hanlon, having been an old friend
ofthe latter, they being born in the
same city-Peora, Ill. He was of Irish
extraction and single, and boarded at
the American House.
Ole Barlow was Norwegian, twenty
six years of age and single. He boarded
at the Nlcollet House and registered
from st. Peter. He has been employed
on the sewer for some time and has
worked in Mankato at different jobs and
also in st. Peter, and has been known
in this vicinity for many years. Both
were industrious, hardworking men and
bore good regulations.
Barlow was dug out from the mass of
stone and dirt at about halt past three
O'Clock Yesterday afternoon, after hav-
ing been covered up an hour and half.
Malone was not found until an hour
later. The remains of both men were
somewhat crushed but it was evident
that they had died from suffocation and
had died very soon after being covered
up. The attempt to rescue them was
begun instantly and prosecuted with
vigor, but with small hopes of getting
them out alive. Nothing could have
saved them from death.
Contractor Williams was somewhat in
jured about the legs and was LAID up
Yesterday afternoon. He had a very
narrow escape from a fate similar to
that Of his two unfortunate employees.
Mr.. Elwood Lilly also had a narrow
escape from death. He was standing
In the excavation at the point where
the cavern occurred and saw the earth
beginning to come. He gave the alarm
and started south and escaped, while his
companion, Barlow, started in the other
direction and was caught. AS it was,
Mr.. Lilly was struck on the legs by the
falling dirt and thrown down. He is a
little sore in consequence.
The bodies were taken to the City
Hall and placed IN the fire department
room and were prepared and dressed
last evening. They remained in the
Hall during the night.
During the search for the bodies all
travel past the scene of the accident
was suspended and a rope stretched
across the street to keep back the eager
crowd who watched the work with ter
rible interest.
There is no doubt but that the disaster
was caused by insufficient bracing of the
sides of the excavation and the loosen
ing of the dirt by the street cars. The
ground between the sewer and the
track along good part of the block has
visibly fallen away from the track
CoRoNER's INQUEST.
Coroner Paddock summoned the fol-
lowing jury to sit on the inquest held
over the bodies of John Malone and
WIZ LAOt IhClI uCdILD yes
terday in the sewer on Front street: d.
}. MulEgan, II II. Paddock, A. C.: Bar
new, L. ID. DeRosia, G. G. Burt and c..
+. Wise.
The inquest began at 10 O'Clock this
morning. The first witness called was
city engineer.
ELwooD LILLY-knew Jack Malone,
and understand that his home was in
Peoria, Ill. The other unfortunate, Ole
Barlow, was also acquainted with. The
sewer trench at place of accident is l4J
feep, width at top about two feet six In
ches and eighteen inches at bottom.
The soil is mixture of sand, clay and
black loan. The pipe had been laid
from center OF Hickory street to place
of accident. At the time of the acct
dent witness was standing about four or
five feet from the end of the pipe be-
seeing the work. Had Just connected
two lengths of pipe, and Malone was on
his knees cementing the joints. Mr..
Barlow was four or five feet Just south
of him. The sand caved in about six
feet from bottom of ditch. The first
slide covered Malone completely. Bar
low was not covered at this time. The
slide covered about eight feet in length
and about one and one-half feet of sand
on Malone. Gave shovel to Barlow and
started south in trench to call for help.
Got pick and went back to Malone.
Saw Barlow working to extricate Ma
lone. Heard Malone halloo two OF
three times, and saw the dirt over him
move, looked up and saw more dirt
from above coming and shouted to Ole
to look out. He was facing north and
jumped over or on top Of Malone. l
jumped south and fell. Saw Ole strug-
Cling to get out and think he did get
partially out. l was covered nearly to
myself looked up and saw something
coming and started south, as l did SO
saw someone pass me, going toward
cave. AT this time some more dirt
cayed in and l jumped upon braces and
climbed out. Think the land slid four
times. First seven or eight feet from
top of ground was loose dirt, having
been dug out for gas and water. The
tunnel or cross ditch was Immediately
under this, the soil under which is prin-
cipally sand with the exception of about
four feet. Malone was covered in the
neighborhood of ten feet and Barlow
about five feet. When found Barlow
was almost directly over Malone in an
almost upright position, while Malone
was on his knees. A question from
county attorney as to what means were
used to prevent the banks from caving,
witness answered that planks laid hori-
Zontal were used about three feet apart
braced across with two inch plank ten
inches wide. The bottom plank from
h0ttnm of ditch wae ahouf four foat